Living in Dhaka, it's surprising how often your blinders kick into gear and you don't see the needs of those around you so much. Whether it's the fact you're busy or self involved or just too overwhelmed, you miss the visual reminders that you live and exist where you do - in a third world country...
Each day at Grace First School, we have assembly. This entails a teacher sharing a piece of scripture or bible story and leading the school in worship, through prayer and song. I'm on assembly tomorrow, and I am sharing a passage from Isaiah 61 and introducing the work and responsibility in response to it. Tomorrow is the concept of preaching to the poor. I'm sad to say that this has hit me like a tonne of bricks. Ever had one of those moments when you've been let in a secret you should have known about and understood a LONG time ago. This is one for me.
We like in one of the poorest ountries in the world, and I've been so worried about silly ittle things, I've well and truly missed the point. There's a reason I'm in Bangladesh and not Sydney. Yes, there's chances to minister to all sorts of people in Sydney. But I never would have grown, I would have remained the naive, untravelled, 'should have been a teacher in the 1800's' type of person, living day in and day out, not discovering the ways God wanted to change me. Please don't mis-understand me, I a in no way saying people who remain where they are are not shaped by God. I'm just saying that now, looking back, I'm not sure God could have changed me the way I needed to change while I remained in that setting.
Isaiah 61:1-2 tells us this:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
They do not know it yet, but Years 3, 4 and 5 of Grace International School are about to undertake StrategySixtyOne. They may only be 7-11 years old, but these kids are going to walk the talk. As for me, I am too. My blinders are off. I may struggle to percieve poverty, it may challenge and upset my comfort zone, but lets face it, Banlgadesh and comfort zone aren't exactly a peaches and cream example of cohesion.
More to come.
In the meantime, please pray. There are thousands yet to hear the joy of God's word in this country - in this city.
